Gaming machine

ABSTRACT

A gaming machine includes a door housing, a belly door, which constitutes a part of the door housing, having a front panel, a first hinge, connecting the door housing with the belly door so as to pivot the belly door, a back-lighting member, which illuminates a member provided on the front panel and a second hinge, connecting the belly door with the back-lighting member so as to pivot the back-lighting member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a gaming machine, such as a slot machine, having belly door on which a back-lighting member is pivotably supported by a hinge.

[0002] A related gaming machine having belly door is described by reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. As shown in FIG. 7, a belly door 114 is reclosably provided on a door housing 120 disposed at a lower position on a front face of a housing 112 of a gaming machine 100, by a hinge 116 provided at a lower position on the belly door 114. A display panel 118 is provided on the front face of the belly door 114. The display panel 118 is a rectangular plate material formed from transparent material, such as glass or acryl.

[0003] As shown in FIG. 8, a back-lighting box 126 is provided on the belly door 114. The back-lighting box 126 includes a fluorescent lamp container having a fluorescent lamp, a fluorescent lamp holder, and a reflector. Wiring 128 extending from a power supply unit (not shown) disposed in the door housing 120 is connected to the back-lighting box 126 for supplying power to the fluorescent lamp. Various information items, such as the title of or explanations about a game to be played on the gaming machine 100 are drawn on a plate. The plate and the display panel 118 are held in the back-lighting box 126, and the back-lighting box 126 is fastened to the belly door 114 by screws 134. The plate is a translucence plate such as glass or plastic. The back-lighting box 126 radiates illumination light onto the display panel 118 so as to decorate the plate having various information items written thereon.

[0004] When a game to be played on the gaming machine 100 is changed to a new game, ROM stored a game program therein is replaced to a ROM stored a new game program therein on the related gaming machine 100. At this time, there arises a necessity for replacing, with another plate, a plate on which information about the game displayed on the display panel 118 is drawn.

[0005] Procedures for replacing the plate having game information drawn thereon with another plate will be described below. First, the belly door 114 is opened. A worker holds the belly door 114 in an opened state. Next, the wiring 128 extending from an electrical equipment box provided in an unillustrated housing is detached from the back-lighting box 126. The screws 134 fastening the back-lighting box 126 to the belly door 114 are removed, whereby the back-lighting box 126 is removed from the belly door 114. After the thus-removed back-lighting box 126 is placed in another workplace, the plate having game information drawn thereon on the display panel 18 is replaced.

[0006] Even when the display panel 118 or the fluorescent lamp contained in the back-lighting box 126 is checked or replaced, the back-lighting box 126 is removed from the belly door 114 in the same manner. Then, the back-lighting box 126 is placed in another workplace, and the display panel 118 is replaced with another panel, or the fluorescent lamp contained in the back-lighting box 126 is replaced.

[0007] During the above-described operations relating to the belly door 114 of the related gaming machine 100, all the screws 134 used for fastening the back-lighting box 126 to the belly door 114 must be removed. In order to remove the back-lighting box 126 from the belly door 114, the wiring 128 extending from the electrical equipment box must be detached from the back-lighting box 126. Further, the work place is a necessity for placing the thus-removed back-lighting box 126. Since the back-lighting box 126 is removed from the belly door 114, there is a chance of a fluorescent lamp being broken, as a result of the back-lighting box 126 dropping to the ground. In this way, replacement of the plate or display panel 118 having game information drawn thereon is complicated and involves low working efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine capable of improving the efficiency of an operation for replacement or inspection of a plate on which game information to be displayed through a display panel is drawn.

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a gaming machine comprising:

[0010] a door housing;

[0011] a belly door, which constitutes a part of the door housing, having a front panel;

[0012] a first hinge, connecting the door housing and the belly door so as to pivot the belly door;

[0013] a back-lighting member, which illuminates a member provided on the front panel; and

[0014] a second hinge, connecting the belly door and the back-lighting member so as to pivot the back-lighting member.

[0015] In this configuration, in the case of replacement of the member provided on the front panel or replacement or inspection of the front panel or an illumination member of the back-lighting member, the back-lighting member is pivoted with respect to the belly door by the second hinge. As a result, replacement or inspection of the member provided on the front panel, the front panel, or the illumination member can be performed without removal of the back-lighting member from the belly door. Consequently, the ease of such an operation can be improved.

[0016] Preferably, the pivotal direction of the first hinge is a first direction.

[0017] Here it is preferable that the first direction is a vertical direction.

[0018] Here it is preferable that the first direction is a horizontal direction.

[0019] Here it is preferable that a pivotal direction of the second hinge is a direction parallel to the first direction.

[0020] Here it is preferable that the pivotal direction of the second hinge is a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0021] In the configurations, the first hinge connects the belly door with the door housing so that the belly door can pivot in the first direction. Further, the second hinge connects the belly door with the back-lighting member so that the back-lighting member can pivot in a direction parallel to or perpendicular to the first direction.

[0022] By pivoting the back-lighting member in a direction parallel or perpendicular to the first direction, a member provided on the front panel, the front panel, or the illumination member can be replaced or inspected without removal of the back-lighting member by the belly door. Consequently, the ease of operation can be improved.

[0023] Preferably, the door housing has a wire for connecting the door housing with the belly door so as to regulate a pivotal angle of the belly door.

[0024] In the configuration, the belly door can be fixed in an opened condition by the wire, thereby improving workability.

[0025] Preferably, the belly door has a boss member for regulating a pivotal angle of the belly door.

[0026] Preferably, the door housing has a boss member for regulating a pivotal angle of the belly door.

[0027] In the configurations, the boss member provided on the belly door or the door housing enables fixing of the belly door in an open state, thus improving workability.

[0028] Here it is preferable that an engage member is provided for engaging the back-lighting member and the door housing together when the belly door is open.

[0029] In the configuration, the back-lighting member and the door housing can be engaged together by the engage member so that the front panel can be replaced while the belly door is open with respect to the door housing, thereby improving workability.

[0030] Preferably, the back-lighting member pivots so as to expose the member provided on the front panel via the second hinge.

[0031] In the configuration, in the case of replacement of the member provided on the front panel or replacement or inspection of the front panel or an illumination member of the back-lighting member, the back-lighting member is pivoted so as to expose the member provided on the front panel via the second hinge. As a result, replacement or inspection of the member provided on the front panel, the front panel, or the illumination member can be performed without removal of the back-lighting member from the belly door. Consequently, the ease of such an operation can be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The problem and advantages of the invention will become more definite by illustration of preferred embodiments of the invention by reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a gaming machine having a belly door according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0034]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an open state of the belly door;

[0035]FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an open state of a back-lighting box of the belly door;

[0036]FIG. 4A is a block diagram showing a boss member for regulating a pivotal angle of the belly door, which boss member is provided on the belly door;

[0037]FIG. 4B is a block diagram showing a boss member for regulating a pivotal angle of the belly door, which boss member is provided on a housing;

[0038]FIG. 5A is a block diagram showing the belly door of the first embodiment, in which a second hinge is provided on the left side of the belly door,

[0039]FIG. 5B is a block diagram showing the belly door of the first embodiment, in which a second hinge is provided on the right side of the belly door;

[0040]FIG. 5C is a block diagram showing the belly door of the first embodiment, in which a second hinge is provided on a side opposing the side on which the first hinge is provided;

[0041]FIG. 6A is a block diagram showing the belly door of a second embodiment, in which a first hinge is provided on the left side of the belly door;

[0042]FIG. 6B is a block diagram showing the belly door of the second embodiment, in which a second hinge is provided on the left side of the belly door;

[0043]FIG. 6C is a block diagram showing the belly door of the second embodiment, in which the second hinge is provided on the right side of the belly door,

[0044]FIG. 6D is a block diagram showing the belly door of the second embodiment, in which the second hinge is provided on the upper side of the belly door;

[0045]FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a related gaming machine having a belly door; and

[0046]FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing that a belly door of the related gaming machine is opened.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0047] An embodiment of a gaming machine having a belly door according to the invention will be described in detail by reference to the drawings.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 1, a gaming machine 10 is constituted by attaching various components, such as a monitor, a control member, an electrical equipment box, and a power supply to the outside and inside of a portrait-oriented housing 12. A door housing 20 is attached to a lower portion of a front face of the housing 12. A belly door 14 is provided so as to constitute a portion of the door housing 20. The belly door 14 is reclosably attached to the door housing 20 by a first hinge 16 provided at a lower side of the belly door 14.

[0049] A display panel 18 is attached to the front face of the belly door 14. The display panel 18 is a rectangular plate member formed from a transparent material, such as glass or acryl.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of bars 22 are disposed such that one bar 22 is attached to a side face of the belly door 14 and the other 22 is attached to an interior wall face of the door housing 20. A steel wire 24 is fixed at one end to one bar 22 and at the other end to the other bar 22, thus regulating an open angle of the belly door 14 to a range of 80° to 180°.

[0051] Next, a back-lighting box 26 will be described by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The back-lighting box 26 acting as a back-lighting member radiates illumination light onto the display panel 18, thereby decorating a plate 36 having various information items drawn thereon. The plate 36 is a translucent flat plate, such as glass or plastic. As shown in FIG. 3, the back-lighting box 26 has a fluorescent lamp housing section comprising a fluorescent lamp serving as illumination equipment, a fluorescent lamp holder, and a reflector. A wire 28 extending from an unillustrated power supply disposed in the door housing 20 is connected to a fluorescent lamp of the back-lighting box 26. Each of the back-lighting box 26 and the door housing 20 is equipped with an engage member 30 for engaging the back-lighting box 26 and the door housing 20 together. As shown in FIG. 3, the engage member 30 engages the back-lighting box 26 onto the door housing 20 while the back-lighting box 26 is open.

[0052] The back-lighting box 26 is pivotably attached to the belly door 14 by a second hinge 32 provided on a side of the back-lighting box 26. A side of the back-lighting box 26 opposing the side thereof provided with the second hinge 32 is fastened to the belly door 14 with screws 34. The plate 36, on which are described various information items such as the title of a gaming machine or descriptions of a game, and the display panel 18 are sandwiched between the back-lighting box 26 and the belly door 14.

[0053] Next, there will be described an operation for replacing the plate 36 which is sandwiched between the display panel 18 and the back-lighting box 26 and on which various information items about the gaming machine are written, by the belly door 14 of the gaming machine 10 according to the embodiment.

[0054] First, the belly door 14 is opened. At this time, an open angle of the belly door 14 is regulated to a range of 80° to 180° by the wire 24 and the bars 22 stretched between the bars 22. Next, the screws 34 that fasten the reflector 26 to the belly door 14 are removed. The back-lighting box 26 is raised toward the door housing 20 while the second hinge 32 is taken as a pivotal center. The back-lighting box 26 is engaged to the door housing 20 while being raised by the engage member 30. Then, the plate 36—which is placed on the display panel 18 and on which are written various information items pertaining to a gaming machine—is then replaced.

[0055] As mentioned above, the back-lighting box 26 is pivoted toward the belly door 14 by the second hinge 32. As a result, the plate 36 which is provided on the display panel 18 and has various information items about the gaming machine, without removal of the back-lighting box 26 from the belly door 14. Therefore, workability of replacement and inspection operations can be improved.

[0056] Further, there is obviated a necessity for removing the belly door 14 from the back-lighting box 26. Hence, the wire 28 extending from the power supply does not need to be detached from the back-lighting box 26. The belly door 14 and the door housing 20 are fixed by the wire 24 and the bars 22. Hence, there is eliminated a complicated operation of a worker replacing the plate while manually retaining the belly door 14.

[0057] In the embodiment, there has been described an operation for replacing the plate 36 having various information items pertaining to a gaming machine drawn thereon. Even in the case of replacement or inspection of the display panel 18 or a fluorescent lamp contained in the back-lighting box 26, there is required a substantially same operation. Hence, their explanations are omitted.

[0058] In the embodiment, the open angle of the belly door 14 is regulated by the wire 24 and the pair of bars 22 connected to the wire 24. A pair of hooks may be employed in place of the pair of bars 22 for extending the wire 24. As shown in FIG. 4A, boss members 38 for regulating the open angle of the belly door 14 may be provided on the door housing 20 at a position of in the vicinity of the belly door 14 in place of the wire 24 and the bars 22. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4B, boss members 38′ for regulating the open angle of the belly door 14 may be disposed on an exterior face of the belly door 14 in place of the wire 24 and the bars 22.

[0059] An effect yielded by the wire 24, the pair of hooks, and the boss members 38, 38′ is the same as that yielded by the wire 24 and the pair of bars 22.

[0060] As shown in FIGS. 1 through 4B, the first embodiment has described the belly door 14 in which the first hinge 16 is disposed along a lower side of the door housing 20 and in which the second hinge 32 which is provided along one side of the belly door 14 and in close proximity to the first hinge 16 pivotally supporting the belly door 14 and the back-lighting box 26. As shown in FIGS. 5A through 5C, when the second hinge 32 is attached to the left side of the belly door 14 or when the second hinge 32 is attached to the right side of the belly door 14, the back-lighting box 26 pivots with respect to the belly door 14 in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the belly door 14 is pivoted with reference to the door housing 20. When the second hinge 32 is provided along a side opposing the side of the belly door 14 along which is disposed the first hinge 16, the back-lighting box 26 is pivoted toward the belly door 14 in a direction parallel to the direction in which the belly door 14 is pivoted with respect to the door housing 20. Those constituent elements and effects which are the same as those described in connection with the first embodiment are adopted and yielded by a belly door shown in FIGS. 5A through 5C, except that the engage member 30 is not provided.

[0061] The first embodiment has described the belly door 14, in which the first hinge 16 is provided along a lower side of the door housing 20. Next, a belly door according to a second embodiment of the invention will be described by reference to FIGS. 6A through 6D. In relation to a belly door 44 of the second embodiment, the first hinge 16 is disposed along the left side of the door housing 20. Accordingly, the belly door 44 is pivoted in a horizontal direction of the gaming machine 10. From among constituent elements shown in FIGS. 6A through 6D, those which are substantially the same as the constituent elements employed in the first embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals, and their explanations are omitted.

[0062] In the belly door 44 of the second embodiment, the first hinge 16 is provided along the left side of the door housing 20. The belly door 44 is opened and closed in the horizontal direction of the gaming machine 10. Hence, the belly door 44 of the second embodiment is substantially identical with that of the first embodiment, except that the wire 24 and the pair of bars 22, which regulate an open angle of the belly door 44, are unnecessary. FIGS. 6A through 6D illustrate the belly door 44 in which the first hinge 16 is provided along the left side of the door housing 20. Specifically, the drawings show a case where the second hinge 32 is attached to a lower side of the belly door 44; a case where the second hinge 32 is attached to a right side of the same; a case where the second hinge 32 is attached to a left side of the same; and a case where the second hinge 32 is attached to an upper side of the same.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 6D, when the first hinge 16 and the second hinge 32 are provided in parallel with and close to each other. In this case, the back-lighting box 26 and the door housing 20 are provided with the engage member 30 for engaging the back-lighting box 26 to the door housing 20.

[0064] The second embodiment has referred to the belly door 44 in which the first hinge 16 is attached to the left side of the door housing 20. The constituent elements and effect employed in and yielded by the first embodiment can also be applied to the belly door in which the first hinge 16 is attached to the right side of the door housing 20. The same also applies to a belly door in which the first hinge 16 is attached to an upper side of the door housing 20.

[0065] Although the invention has been illustrated and described by reference to specific preferred embodiments, it is evident for a person skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to amendments or modifications, in view of the teaching of the invention. Further, as defined by the scope of the appended claims, such modifications and alterations evidently fall within the scope, range, or intention of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A gaming machine comprising: a door housing; a belly door, which constitutes a part of the door housing, having a front panel; a first hinge, connecting the door housing with the belly door so as to pivot the belly door; a back-lighting member, which illuminates a member provided on the front panel; and a second hinge, connecting the belly door with the back-lighting member so as to pivot the back-lighting member.
 2. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein a pivot movement of the first hinge is a first direction.
 3. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein a pivot movement of the second hinge is parallel with the first direction.
 4. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein a pivot movement of the second hinge is perpendicular to the first direction.
 5. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first direction is a vertical direction.
 6. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 5, wherein the first direction is a horizontal direction.
 7. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a wire, connecting the door housing with the belly door so as to regulate a pivotable angle of the belly door.
 8. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the belly door has a boss member which regulates a pivotable angle of the belly door.
 9. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the door housing has a boss member which regulates a pivotable angle of the belly door.
 10. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an engage member which engages the back-lighting member and the door housing when the belly door is open.
 11. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the back-lighting member pivots so as to expose the member provided on the front panel via the second hinge. 